❤️‍🔥

"Naala," Naleli straight faced her. "I'm not helping you do that," She said pushing Naala's hand away.

"Leli please?" Naala begged pulling her arm back. "Amir can't do it because then he'll know,"

"Where do I have to put it?" Naleli sighed picking up the hormone shot.

"Here," Naala pulled up her shirt and pointed to her lower stomach.

"Who normally does it?" Naleli mumbled rubbing the wipes on her stomach to clean the area.

"Miss Ruby," Naala winced when Naleli stuck the needle into her.

"All done," Naleli spoke helping Naala off the counter. "Don't start crying La," Naleli sighed when Naala's eyes started to water.

"I'm not crying," Naala blinked away her tears. "Can we forget about this?" She added.

"Yeah let's go and raid your pantry," Naleli suggested linking arms with her. Naala nodded and followed along beside her.

"The house is so quiet," Naleli commented taking in the silence.

"School trips are the best," Naala laughed. "Yesterday me and Amir had sex in the weirdest places,"

"I don't know if it was him that turned you into a sex addict or the other way round," Naleli chuckled. She pulled open the pantry door and sucked her teeth at Naala's color coding.

"You can have some cookies or Amir bought these yummy brownies," Naala suggested picking them off the shelf.

"They look good," Naleli nodded taking them. They both took a piece and went back into the movie room.

After one episode of Scandal, they had paused the tv and were having their daily catch up.

"How's Tarek?" Naala asked rubbing Naleli's face.

"Why are you touching me?" Naleli laughed loudly.

"I don't know," Naala giggled touching her own face. "I feel funny," She spoke laying back down.

"Me too," Naleli laughed standing up to stretch. "My mouth is dry, I'm gonna get a drink,"

"Mmm," Naala nodded sticking her tongue out and looking down at it. "Leli!" She screamed grabbing her tongue.

"What?" Naleli shouted running back towards her. Naala was sat up on the chair with her tongue still out.

"My tongues green," She spoke quickly.

"You're a dummy," Naleli bust into laughter. She walked over and inspected Naala's tongue properly.

"It's very much pink," Naleli mumbled slapping Naala's face lightly.

"It is!" Naala exclaimed taking her phone out to look in her camera.

"What kind of brownies were these La?" Naleli said drawing shapes with her fingers.

"I think it said moon cakes," Naala answered with her eyes closed.

"Naala! Those were weed brownies," Naleli groaned sitting up quickly.

"Oh really," Naala said quietly before bursting into a fit of laughter. Naleli couldn't keep a straight face and joined her shortly after.

They spent about 20 minutes laughing at absolutely nothing with each other.

"Woo, now I'm hungry," Naala sighed loudly,

"What do you think happens when we die?" Naleli asked randomly.

"Do you want to die or something?" Naala questioned turning her head to look at her twin sister.

"No but I will one day," Naleli mumbled,

"Stop talking about death right now Naleli," Naala said softly. "I don't want to think about a world without you,"

"You'll be fine," Naleli waved her off. "You survived without me for how many years?"

"Yeah and I didn't know how much I needed you," Naala responded. The high was causing them both to speak from the heart.

"I really wish you were stronger," Naleli admitted turning to face Naala.

"What do you mean?" Naala questioned lifting her head up.

"You're needy. You think you need people but you don't, that's why you stay with men that don't do anything for you," Naleli continued to her.

"Why are you turning this into a you hate my husband party?" Naala rolled her eyes.

"I don't hate him, I actually like him quite a lot. But I hate how much you need him," Naleli responded making Naala stand up.

"I don't need him," Naala mumbled walking away.

"Tell me one thing that you do that he doesn't have anything to do with," Naleli followed her.

"Fallons, the salons," Naala listed off.

"He bought you the salon!" Naleli exclaimed loudly. "Face it La, you need him,"

"If I'm not with him I don't have a purpose," Naala argued back.

"There we go," Naleli lifted her hands up. "What happened to you? Who made you think that a man gives you purpose?"

Naala huffed and walked away from Naleli going back into the kitchen.

She couldn't bare to hear Naleli talk about her like that because she knew it was the truth.

Naala heard the front door closing and closed her eyes, this wasn't the best time for Dave to come home.

"You straight baby?" He asked as soon as he saw her in the kitchen.

"Yeah," Naala said softly turning to look at him. "Where have you been?" She spoke letting him wrap his arms around her waist.

"Chilling with Priest," Dave answered kissing her cheek.

"That tickles," Naala giggled moving her face from him. "You have a cute dimple here did you know that?" She pressed his chin with her nail.

"You sure you straight?" Dave asked with a smile taking her hand off his face.

"We're high," Naala whispered badly as Naleli re entered the kitchen.

"Buy me some more of those brownies," Naleli ordered sitting on the counter.

"How did you get into this?" Dave laughed picking up the pack.

"They looked good so we tried one each," Naala shrugged playing with his earlobe.

"You high as shit," Dave chuckled rubbing her ass. "Leli you seem coo'"

"Oh I'm on the moon," Naleli smiled weakly. "I called Tarek to come and pick me up,"

"Hm," Naala said turning her head away from Naleli.

"You can have an attitude with me all you want," Naleli shrugged.

"I don't have an attitude," Naala replied with a mug.

"Shut up Naala, I don't like you," Naleli mumbled fixing her hair.

"Don't be mean, you love me," Naala frowned. "Right bae?" She said tugging on Dave's hand.

"Uhn uhn I ain't involved in y'all sibling shit," Dave spoke quickly.

Naala unwrapped his arms from her waist and walked up to Naleli, jumping on the counter to sit beside her.

"I love you I'm sorry," Naala said hugging her tightly. Naleli grimaced and patted her back.

"Yeah I love you too but I'm about to punch you if you don't get off me," Naleli spoke in a disinterested tone.

"I hate you," Naala laughed loudly before kissing her cheek.

"Yuck," Naleli tried to hide her smile. "My Naala," She bumped shoulders with her.

"My Leli," Naala smiled brightly intertwining their fingers. Dave left them to talk and laugh for the rest of the night, that was their last actual evening together.

"Black or white?" Maniya asked holding up the different Hermes slippers for her mom.

"None," Naala shrugged closing her eyes again.

"Mama, you have to get up now. We have to go and get him," Maniya sighed putting the slippers down.

"He doesn't want to see me," Naala said lowly, getting comfortable in the bed.

"He doesn't mean it mom, come on." Maniya said sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Maniya take your siblings and go, he doesn't want to see me," Naala muttered pulling the comforter over her head.

"Are you guys getting a divorce?" Maniya asked making Naala's stomach turn. That word burned through her like nothing.

"Can you get out?" Naala responded to her. "I have a headache and you're making it worse," She added in annoyance.

"No, you can't just shut me out," Maniya responded looking back at her mom. "Mama get up or I'm gonna pull you up and it'll be easy too,"

"Your dad does not want to see me. I am the reason his mother is in a coma," Naala said getting up.

"Grandma needed a break from the world anyway," Maniya shrugged. Naala chuckled and put her head up.

"I should have done it ages ago right?" Naala questioned her.

"Like 5 years ago." Maniya laughed along with her mother.

"Oh you truly are my daughter," Naala sighed in content. "Still, he hates me," She added, her smile dropping.

"Daddy asked about you," Maniya admitted. "If he hated you, he wouldn't have done that."

"What did he say?" Naala shot up. It had been 2 weeks and her and Dave hadn't had one conversation.

"He asked how you were and how the babies were. He also said y'all have some issues to work through," Maniya trailed off, leaving out the part were he said he wasn't sure where their relationship stood.

"Issues," Naala scoffed. "He is the main issue," She said getting out of the bed.

"Woah," Maniya mumbled looking at her mom's stomach. "Isn't that heavy?" Just like Dr Reece suggested, Naala's bump had ballooned in size over the past few weeks.

"It's like carrying around 12 bricks," Naala complained over her shoulder. "They definitely have your daddy's fat ass head,"

"You're getting ready?" Maniya asked hopefully.

"Phat's not gonna leave the house if I don't," Naala sighed leaning on the bathroom counter.

"She's been less interactive with me too," Maniya nodded. "She misses Leli,"

"So do I," Naala said softly, rubbing the necklace Naleli bought her before she died. "Naleli would know what to do right now, but she won't speak to me," She mumbled the last part.

Since the night of the accident, Naala has not heard Naleli's voice. It was strange but it seemed like she was angry with her.

"Mom?" Maniya said from behind her. Naala was silent and she couldn't understand why.

"I think I'm gonna stay home," Naala said wiping her tear.

"No please mom," Maniya begged. Her dad was being an asshole to everyone and seeing Naala might change that.

"Will you shut up?" Naala questioned turning around.

"I won't talk about it again," Maniya smiled widely.

"Mmm go and get ready." Naala waved her off. Turning back towards the mirror, Naala wiped her face and brought out her skin care products.

~~

"Papa I'm fine," Naala laughed as Saint helped her out of the car.

"I got you mama," Saint mumbled, his skin flushing red.

"You're such a wittle gentleman," Naala cooed pulling him closer to her. Malia tugged on her hand to gain her full attention.

"I'm still here Phat," Naala said quietly.

"Up mama," Malia said making Naala pause in front of the hospital doors.

"Malia I can't pick you up right now," Naala answered. "You wanna hurt your little brothers or sisters?" She said to Malia.

"Malia doesn't care about new babies," Malia said with a straight face.

"Go stand by your sister because I'm not in the mood for you," Naala scolded her.

"Bitch," Malia replied bluntly walking away from Naala.

"Oop," Sinai giggled under her breath. Malia worked Naala hard and she found it hilarious.

"Semaj that whooping earlier wasn't enough?" Naala shouted at her. "God help me," She mumbled taking her sunglasses off.

The family entered the hospital and Naala got them to wait so she could locate Dave's room.

"I'm here to see my husband, David Brewster," Naala spoke to the lady at receptionist.

"Oh it's nice to finally meet you!" The older woman smiled. "He is non stop about you, my wife this, my wife that," The woman chatted on.

"Really?" Naala lifted a brow. "He hasn't let me up here,"

"I think he's struggling darling but seeing you will make him happy," The lady smiled at her. "I'll take you up, it's floor 5,"

"Kids come on," Naala summoned them hiking her purse up.

"You have a beautiful family," The lady commented. "Y'all all look like your daddy," She spoke to the kids.

"I only carried them for 9 months and they all came out looking like him," Naala rolled her eyes playfully.

"Apart from me," Saint said proudly.

"Boy," Naala laughed holding his hand. "Don't mind him," She said to the woman.

"He's the cutest little thing," The lady chuckled along with Naala.

When they got up to the floor, Naala's belly started to turn. She wasn't sure about seeing him again after what she did.

"Look who I found," The lady announced making Dave lift his head.

Naala let the children greet him first, they hugged and he picked Malia up and held her tight.

"Why you standing so far?" Dave asked Naala. Naala shrugged and moved forward. He made the first move and pulled her into a hug, pecking her lips.

"Oh," Naala said hugging him back. "I missed you," She said looking up at him.

"I'm coming home," He said kissing her again quickly.

"You don't hate me?" Naala mumbled while he rubbed her stomach.

"Ion hate you baby," Dave chuckled before wincing slightly. Naala frowned and put her hand over the bandage under his chest.

"Daddy is coming home?" Malia asked him in his ear.

"Mmhm daddy is coming home," Dave agreed kissing her cheek.

"I finally got to meet this pretty lady," Betty the nurse said to Dave.

"My pretty lady," Dave smirked looking down at Naala. She was glowing and he couldn't get enough of her.

"Stop," Naala blushed looking away. She walked away from him and over to his stuff, packing inside his LV holdall.

"I finally found a space," Maniya huffed coming into the room.

"What's up?" Dave smiled hugging her. Maniya raised a brow, her dad seemed a bit too happy for someone that said no one should come and see him.

"Is Mason in the car?" Naala asked folding Dave's shirts.

"He's outside," Maniya confirmed. Their security was still as tight as anything especially after the shooting.

"Phat I can't hold you no more," Dave groaned.

"Don't outdo yourself," Naala spoke quickly. "Lia come, mommy will hold you," She said holding her hands out.

"I don't think that's a good idea," Betty spoke up looking at Naala's round stomach.

"I tell her all the time," Dave tutted. "Malia you can walk," He said putting her down.

"That why I do it," Naala sighed when Malia started to cry loudly and drop to the floor.

"She's so dramatic," Sinai said tapping Saint. They both watched her in humor, more so at Naala struggling to get her off the floor.

"Semaj get up off that floor," Dave bellowed dragging her up.

"Ima leave y'all to pack up," Betty commented awkwardly leaving the room.

"You're a bitch!" Malia shouted at Naala with venom.

"Stop saying that to me," Naala popped her in her mouth. "I don't know what you think this is but I'll be damned before you'll speak to me like that again," She disciplined.

"Alright now," Dave said taking Malia's hand and leading her off to the side.

"What's up with you? Why you being mean to your mom?" Dave asked sitting her in his lap.

"Mommy isn't Leli." Malia sniffed, her face covered in tears. "She's fake Leli,"

"Mommy and Leli are different people Phat," Dave explained.

"Malia wants Leli, not mommy," Malia replied with a confused face. "Malia wants new babies to go with mommy and Leli come back," She continued.

Dave nodded, her behavior was simply her attention seeking.

"Don't have kids," Naala mumbled softly sitting down besides Maniya.

"You don't mean it," Maniya said looking at the side of her mom's face.

"If I'm not failing at being a mother, I'm failing at my job," Naala shrugged tiredly. The election was fast approaching and she was no where near ready.

"Mom you have 4 kids, and you're pregnant with two more, it's not easy." Maniya tried to make her feel better.

"Why do I keep letting them do this to me?" Naala sighed closing her eyes.

Maniya didn't know what to say so she simply didn't answer.

"I'm sorry mommy," Malia said standing in front of a tired and frustrated Naala.

"You really upset me Malia," Naala answered with a hurt expression. Malia's therapist instructed them to always express how they feel about her behavior. It will show her that actions hurt.

"Oops," Malia said with a slight smile, she was happy Naala was hurt.

"Do you know what," Naala breathed out. "Amir are you ready?"

"Yeah, you okay? You keep pushing down on your stomach," Dave analysed with a squint.

"A stitch," Naala waved him off. "Help me up," She put her hand out for Maniya.

"Can we go to Ruth's Chris?" Sinai asked her parents. "I don't want home food today,"

"It's up to your daddy," Naala shrugged pulling her dress down.

"Ion mind," Dave said lifting his bag up.

"I can carry it dad," Saint offered taking the bag from his dad. Naala pouted at him, he had become a little gentleman and she really wondered where it came from.

"Suck up," Sinai muttered following behind him, putting her headphones in.

"Come on monster," Maniya laughed lifting Malia up and putting her on her hip.

Naala and Dave trailed behind, his hand on the small of her back.

"They're gonna try and wake up my mama today," Dave mentioned quietly.

"Oh fun," Naala answered. She didn't know what else to say.

"You know they said she dodged death just by a second," Dave continued making Naala roll her eyes.

"I'm so glad," Naala spoke sarcastically. She didn't get why he was telling her all this.

"Love wait," Dave spoke stopping her from walking. "Are we good? Cuz I know I said some shit, well we both said some shit,"

"I'm fine, it's not like you've never called me a hoe before. Are you okay with me? After your mom and everything?" Naala replied looking up at him.

"I know you didn't mean it, you were hurt. Someone has been doing these things to you, including Naleli. I can't blame you for lashing out," Dave responded truthfully.

At first, he was very angry at Naala. But after a while he started to realise that she wasn't the cause of all this.

"I didn't want you to get hurt," Naala said lowly. "You're my life,"

"I shouldn't be," Dave said wrapping his arms around her waist.

"But you are. In everything I've been through, you've been the one constant in my life, even when we're broken up," Naala admitted. "I can't live without you, you know that,"

"That scares me baby because I'm not gonna be here forever," Dave told her watching her face screw up.

"What's the matter?" He asked lifting her head up.

"Something doesn't feel right today," Naala said taking a deep breath.

"Let's go home and get you in bed," Dave said taking her hand and kissing it.

"Food first," Naala said softly walking beside him.

~~

"Too much blood Rex," Naala gagged looking away from the bloody man tied to a chair.